Bumper



April 4, 1939- R. A. PONSELLE 2,153,481

BUMPER Original Filed Dec. 16, 1953 INV OR FMJ- dxml ZJAQMMAZZ ATTORNEY;

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 BUMPER Robert A. Ponselle, New York, N. Y.

Original application December 16, 1933, Serial No. 702,702. Divided and this application June 20, 1936, Serial .No. 86,246

4 Claims.

This invention relates to mobile machines, such, for example, as those used for cleaning and polishing floors, and is concerned more particularly with a novel cushioning device or bumpor which may be employed on machines of the type referred to for preventing the machine from doing damage as it is moved about. While the new bumper may be advantageously employed on mobile machines of various kinds, it is particularly useful, when employed on a floor machine, for protecting the walls and woodwork of the room in which the machine is being used from being injured by contact with the machine. An embodiment of the invention suitable for use with one type of floor machine will, accordingly, be illustrated and described in detail for purposes of explanation, but it is to be understood that the utility of the invention is not confined to this particular adaptation of it.

While floor machines are of several different constructions, one now in wide use comprises a base which carries the driving motor and a tool driven by the motor and mounted beneath the base within an apron which has a depending g5 flange partially enclosing the tool. When this machine is in use, substantially the entire weight of the machine rests on the tool, and the operator makes use of the rotary movement of the tool to propel the machine. For this purpose, he tilts the machine slightly to one side or the other, so that the tool is free of the floor or in only light contact therewith, at one side, and this makes the other side of the tool effective to move the machine forward, back, or to the side. Since the machine is relatively heavy and its movements produced by the tilting operation described may be somewhat diiiicult to control even by a skilled and careful operator, it is desirable to provide the machine with a bumper which will prevent it from doing injury to the walls, etc., of the room in which it is being used.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of a simple, inexpensive, and effective bumper for use on a mobile machine which includes a readily removable and replaceable cushioning element held securely in position by means which are wholly prevented from contact with surrounding objects.

One form of embodiment of the invention employed on a floor machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the floor machine showing the bumper in position;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the bumper.

Referring to the drawing, the bumper is illustrated in use in connection with a floor machine which includes a base on top of which is mounted a driving motor and on the under side of which is attached an apron l0 provided with an extension II to which a handle may be attached. A pair of arms l2, fast on a shaft l3 pivotally mounted in the extension, carry wheels H which may be lowered to the position illustrated in Figure 2 to provide a rolling support on which the machine may be moved about when it is not in use. When the machine is in operation, the wheels are swung backto the position shown in Figure 1, and the machine then rests on the tool (not illustrated) which lies beneath the base with its upper end lying within the generally circular flange l5 depending from the base. In order to prevent damage to the woodwork or walls of the room in which the machine is being used, the flange I5 is provided with the bumper of the invention which includes a band l6 of cushioning material, such as rubber, secured against the outer face of the flange and extending along the flange substantially from one face of the extension II to the other.

To secure the band in position, the flange is provided with a longitudinal rib ll about midway between its top and bottom edges and the cushioning band is provided on its inner face with a channel in which the rib may be received. The band is also provided on its outer face with spaced channels l8 extending lengthwise of the band and preferably above and below the channel in which the rib I1 is received. The band is held in place by an endless wire loop Hi, the

two stretches of which lie within the channels l8, and this loop is drawn taut so as to clamp the band tightly against the flange. For this purpose a pair of brackets 20 are mounted by means of screws 2| on shoulders 22 on either side of the extension I I, and each of the brackets is provided with a post 23 having a circumferential recess in which an end of the loop may be received.

In order to mount the cushioning band in position, it is first placed in contact with the flange IS with the rib I l on the flange received in the channel in the inner face of the band. The screws 2| are then backed out so that the brackets 20 are free of their shoulders 22 and the endless wire I9 is looped about the post 23 on one bracket and then stretched along the band with the two' sides of the loop entering the channels I! and looped about the post of the other bracket.

The screws 2! are now turned in to seat the bracket firmly on the shoulders, and by this operation, the wire is drawn tightly into the lateral portions of the apron are protected by the cushioning'element and'there is no chance of the clamping element contacting with surrounding objects as the machine is moved about.

When it becomes necessary to replace the band, the screws 2| are backed out to the extent sufilcient to permit the ends of the loop to be slipped off the posts 23. The loop can then be completely removed, the old band taken on. the apron, and a new band put in place and secured in place in the manner above described. The invention thus provides a simple and effective bumper which can be readily maintained in proper work- 'ing condition at low cost.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 702,702, filed December 16, 1933, which has now matured into Patent No. 2,045,406.

I claim:

1. In a floor machine. the combination of a curved wall, a rib on the outer surface of the wall extending lengthwise thereof and spaced from the edges of the wall, a band of cushioning material having a channel in which the rib is received and lying against the wall on either side of the rib, and means for holding the band in place comprising an endless strand having -two stretches of the strand engaging the band and confining it in contact with the wall, and means at opposite ends of said band and engaged by said strand for tightening the strand and maintaining it taut.

2. In a mobile machine, the combination of a curved outer wall having a rib extending lengthwise thereof and spaced from the edges of the wall, a band of cushioning material lying against the wall, said band having a longitudinal channel in its inner face in which said rib is received and a pair of spaced longitudinal channels in its outer face, the channel in the inner face lying between those in the outer face and means for holding the band in place comprising a pair of posts at opposite ends of the band, an endless strand looped about the posts with the two streches of the strand lying in the spaced longitudinal channels in the band, said strand confining the band in contact with the wall, and means for maintaining the strand taut.

3. In a fioor machine of the type which includes a tool mounted for rotation in contact with the floor, the combination of an apron having a downwardly extending flange, a band of cushioning material lying against the outer surface of the flange, and means for holding the band in place comprising an elongated wire loop having two spaced stretches extending lengthwise of the band in contact therewith, a pair of spaced members lying within and in contact with the ends of the loop, and means for causing the members to draw the loop taut to confine the band in place against the apron.

4. In a floor machine, the combination of a wall having a rib on its outer surface spaced inward from the edges of the wall, a. band of cushioning material having a channel in which the rib is received and lying in contact with the wall on either side of the rib, said band having a pair of channels extending lengthwise of its outer face and lying on either side of the channel in which the rib is received, and means for holding the band in place including strands lying in said channels in the outer wall of the band, and means engaging said strands for tightening them and maintaining them taut, said strands lying 

